SABARIMALA: The total income during the first 15 days of the 2018-2019 Mandalam-Makarvilakku season registered a sharp fall of Rs 31 crore compared to the corresponding period in the previous pilgrimage season.
The aggregate income during the period which ended on December 1 stood at Rs 19.37 crore as against Rs 50.58 crore during the corresponding period last season, said reliable devaswom sources. The income from the sale of aravana prasadam nosedived to Rs 7.23 crore during the period under review of the ongoing season against Rs 21.94 crore during the same period last season, the sources said. The average per day sale of aravana, in quanity-wise, showed an all-time low at 40,000 containers during the first 15 days, as against 2 lakh containers per day during the corresponding period last season.
Regarding ‘appam prasadam’, the sale proceeds during the first 15 days slumped to Rs 72 lakh compared to Rs 3.76 crore during the same period last season.